Cabinet including compartment having snap-in closure member



July 2, 1968 R. H. HERBERT 3,390,806

CABINET INCLUDING COMPARTMENT HAVING SNAP-IN CLOSURE MEMBER Filed Dec. 27, 1966 S b E INVENTORZ RAY 0ND H. HERE/RI,

' HIS ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,390,806 CABINET INCLUDING COMPARTMENT HAVING SNAPJN CLOSURE MEMBER Raymond H. Herbert, Little Falls, N.Y, assignor to General Electric Company, a'corporation of New York Filed Dec. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 604,777 7 Claims. (Cl. 220-60) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cabinet having a compartment includinga generally L-shaped closure member, the closure member including integral positioning tabs and an integral deflectable spring finger adapted to be received by corresponding apertures in the cabinet to lock the closure member to the cabinet.

Background 0]" invention ments to attach the closure member to the cabinet.

Such arrangements are unduly complicated and expensive'and are subject to breakage;

Summary 0 the invention It is an object of the invention to provide a simplified compartment and closure member arrangement for consumer electronic devices.

It is another object of the invention to provide a compartment and closure member arrangement that is less expensive than prior art devices.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a compartment and closure member arrangement that is less subject to breakage than prior art devices.

These and other objects are achieved in one embodiment of the invention by the provision of a cabinet including a storage compartment extending upwardly from the bottom surface of the cabinet and inwardly from the side surface of the cabinet. The compartment thus comprises a cavity having an open end and an open side.

A generally L-shaped closure member is provided including a pair of projecting positioning tabs and a defiectable spring finger adapted to be received by a corresponding aperture in the compartment. The compartment cover is so formed that it snaps into place, the inherent spring action between the two legs of the closure member maintaining the spring finger in the latched position.

Description of the drawings The novel and distinctive features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims, the invention itself together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet employing the compartment and closure member arrangement of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded partial perspective view of the compartment and closure member arrangement shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partial side view of the compartment shown in FIGURE 1 with the closure member removed;

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Description of the preferred embodiment Referring to FIGURE 1 there is shown generally at 1 a plastic cabinet for consumer electronic equipment such as a portable tape recorder. The cabinet 1 includes a pair of supporting feet 3 and 5 and a storage compartment shown generally at 7. I I

The storage compartment and associated closure member in accordance with the invention are shown most clearly in FIGURES 2 and 3. As depicted, the storage compartment comprises a cavity extending upwardly from the bottom surface 9 of the cabinet 1 and inwardly from the side surface 11 of the cabinet 1, the bottom surface 9 and side surface 11 being generally orthogonally related as shown. The compartment comprises a side wall portion 13, a pair of end wall portions 15 and 17, and a top wall portion 19 provided with a ledge 21.

A pair of closure member positioning slots 23 and 25 are provided in the top wall 19, a closure member latching aperture 27 being provided in the side wall 13.

In accordance with the invention, an L-shaped closure member is employed as shown generally at 29. Closure member 29 comprises a first leg portion 31 and a second leg portion 33 generally orthogonal thereto. The first leg portion 31 is provided on the inner surface thereof with a pair of upwardly extending positioning tabs 35 and 37.

The second leg portion 33 is provided with an inwardly extending deflectable spring finger 39 having a projection defining a transverse latching portion 41 positioned at the end thereof. The transverse latching portion 41 is adapted to be received by the latching aperture 27, the latching portion 41 being tapered at 43 to facilitate entry into the aperture 27 as shown.

As depicted, the supporting foot 3 shown in FIGURE 1 is formed integrally with the second leg portion 33, a portion 3' of the supporting foot being provided on the bottom surface of the cabinet 1.

Referring to FIGURE 4, the closure member 29 is shown with the positioning tabs 35 and 37 received by the corresponding slots 23 and 25 respectively. In this position, the closure member 29 may be pivoted as indicated by the arrow 45 to the closed position shown in FIGURE 5.

As depicted in FIGURE 5, the transverse latching portion 41 of the spring finger 39 is received by the latching aperture 27, the tapered portion 43 facilitating insertion of the transverse latching portion in the aperture. The closure member is so dimensioned that with the latching portion 41 received by the aperture 27 as shown in FIG- URE 5, the spring finger 39 is deflected slightly upwardly from its rest position thereby exerting a downward force as indicated by the arrow 46 on the latching portion 41.

Thus, the transverse latching portion 41 engages the side wall 13 to retain the closure member 29 in the latched condition. It is seen that in this position, the inner surface of the first leg portion 31 is flush with the side surface 11 of the cabinet. Similarly, the second leg portion 33 is positioned flush with the bottom surface 9 of the cabinet 1 with the supporting foot 3 in registry with the foot portion 3.

Thus, in accordance with the invention a snap-in closure member is provided wherein latching is provided due to the natural spring action of the closure member itself.

the storage compartment, an upward force is exerted on the second leg portion 33 and thus spring finger 39 to remove the transverse latching portion 41 from the aperture-.27.? i we Although the-invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, it will beappreciated that modifications and changes may be made bytliose skilled in the art withoutdeparting-from tlie true' s'pirit and scope of the'invention. Therefore, it is interided by'the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes that fall Within thetrue spirit of"theinventio'nf What -is-claimedand desired to 'he secured by'Lette'rs Patent of the United States is: I 1 -1.'- In a cabinet inclu'ding firfst =an'd second adjacent generally orthogonally related wall'portions, a compartment arrangement=comprisin'g;

a (A) A'compartment-extending inwardly f'r'bm-the'ffirst and second wall portions;- B) A generally 'L-shaped'closure member for the co'rrl partment comprising first and "second generally orthogonally related'legportions; I (C) Said first leg portion including a positioning tab extending therefrom, I (D) Said second leg portion including a deflectable spring finger extending therefrom, (E) Said spring finger being provided with a transversely extending latching portion at the end thereof, (F) Said cabinet including a positioning slot adapted to receive said positioning tab and a latching aperture adapted to receive the latching portion of said spring: finger, and (G) The closure member being so dimensioned that said spring finger must be deflected from its restposition to be received by said latching aperture when said positioning tab is received by said positioning slot whereby said engages the cabinet; 2. The compartment arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein said compartment comprises a top wall portion, a side will portion and first and second end wall portions. 3:, The compartment arrangementsadefined iii-c aim; wherein said first-legportion includes a=plurality of spaced positioningta-bs extending therefrom and said top wall portion of'said compartment includes -a plurality of corresponding slots adapted to reeeivesai'd positioning tabs.

4. Theconipartmeiitfiarrangement "defined in"cla' im 2 wherein said sidew'all portionof"said'compartment includes said latching aperture, said ftransverse latching portion engaging the inner surface of said side wall portion when said closure member is in the-closed position.

5. The compa rtrnent arrangement defined in claim 2 wherein said 18 5" wall'porfion includes a" ledge portion, said first-leg portion of said closure' memb'er abutting lr r n Reall saidxle'd'ge portion toaposition s'aid first'leg portion flush with the first wall portion of 'said' cabinet-in the closed Position. 6-.'-The"c'ompartment arrangement defined -in--- claim 1 wherein the .firstandsecond wall portionsof the cabinetare sideand bottom=wall portionsof the cabinet respeca. tively and saidseco'nd leg portion of said closure member is provided'with a downwardly extending supporting fOOt: r- Y '7. The compartment-arrangement defined inclaim 1 wherein said" transverse latching member is tapered to facilitate entry into said second apert-ure.

References Cited v I UNITED STATES PATENTS .George et alw- Z2060 JAMES B. MARBERT, PrirttaiyExaminer. A I

2/1965 Stewart 220 '6o UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 ,390 ,806 July 2, 1968 Raymond H. Hebert It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading to the drawing, line 1, "R.H. HERBERT" should read R. H. HEBERT in the bottom right-hand corner, "RAYMOND H. HERERT should read RAYMOND H. HEBERT In the headingto the printed specification, line 4, "Raymond H. Herbert" should read Raymond H. Hebert Signed and sealed this 9th day of December 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

